Poland Refuses to Lift Ban on Ukrainian Grain, Citing Farmer Concerns

Ukrainian agri-food products are once again at the center of Poland’s political debate, which is already heating up ahead of the 2027 parliamentary elections. Competitive grain imports from Ukraine have long been a flashpoint in Poland, with local farmers fearing they could flood the domestic market.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. Recent attacks in the Black Sea – which have disrupted Ukraine’s exports to third countries – have revived memories of the 2022 turmoil, when grain bound for global markets was rerouted through EU “solidarity lanes” and Brussels temporarily liberalised trade with Ukraine. In response, several neighboring countries, including Poland, imposed unilateral bans on imports of Ukrainian grain and other products. Most restrictions remain in place today despite repeated warnings from Brussels that they breach EU rules. Polish Agriculture Minister Stefan Krajewski said on Friday that Warsaw remains unmoved by pressure from Brussels. “I’m in regular contact with the European Commission, but I have no intention of lifting the ban on Ukrainian grain,” Krajewski told national media. “This grain should be exported to third-country markets, not stay in Europe and damage trade relations”. With Ukraine scrambling to find alternative export routes, Krajewski was asked whether transit through Poland – which remains permitted despite the ban – would increase. Other Topics of Interest Polish Pilecki Institute Websites Hacked With Russian Propaganda Hackers breached the websites of a Polish historical institute, posting Russian propaganda and anti-Ukrainian narratives. He was skeptical. “There are no such discussions at the moment. I am willing to help Ukraine, but not at the expense of Polish farmers and food processors,” he said, adding that any increase in flows would require greater port capacity. EU-Ukraine trade deal As the 2027 election campaign begins to take shape in Poland, the right-wing populist Law and Justice (PiS) party is turning up the pressure on Polish Prime MinisterDonald Tusk’s government, led by his pro-EU centre-right Civic Coalition. PiS has attacked the 2025 EU-Ukraine trade deal and the import quotas it grants for a range of Ukrainian products, which Poland would be expected to allow in the country under EU law. The European Commission has repeatedly said the deal includes sufficient safeguards for “sensitive” products and has urged Poland, Hungary and Slovakia to lift their restrictions. See the original by Maria Simon Arboleas here. Euractiv is a European news website focused on EU policies. It was founded in 1999 by the French media publisher Christophe Leclercq. The website's headquarters and central editorial staff are located in Brussels, with offices in Paris and Berlin.